2.3 Biogeochemical cycles

Question 1

biogeochemical cycle

Answer 1

• exchange of various elements between different aspects of Earths systems
• for example carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, hydrological cycle

Question 2

hydrological / water cycle (biogeochemical cycle)

Answer 2

continuous circulation of water on Earth

Question 3

nutrient cycling (biogeochemical cycle)

Answer 3

transfers, transformations, and recycling of nutrients in ecosystems

Question 4

carbon cycle (biogeochemical cycle)

Answer 4

carbon is exchanged in Earth’s subsystems (atmosphere, geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere)

Question 5

stores / storages (2.3)

Answer 5

• accumulation of matter, energy, and information in a system
• the location where matter, energy, and information are held

Question 6

sources

Answer 6

a net release of the element

Question 7

sinks

Answer 7

removes more of an element from the atmosphere than it releases

Question 8

carbon fixation

Answer 8

by photosynthesis, plants recapture carbon and lock it up in their bodies for a time as glucose or other large molecules

Question 9

carbon sequestration

Answer 9

process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide

Question 10

fossil fuels

Answer 10

• carbon-rich energy resources, such as coal, oil, and natural gas
• formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals

Question 11

agriculture (2.3)

Answer 11

the cultivation of organisms for the production of food and non-food products

Question 12

tillage (2.3)

Answer 12

overturning and aeration of soil, and removal of biomass in prep for crop growth

Question 13

monocultures (2.3)

Answer 13

farming of a single crop over an extensive area

Question 14

composting (2.3)

Answer 14

decomposition of organic matter such as plants and food scraps to make fertiliser to enrich soil

Question 15

terrestrial

Answer 15

relating to or characteristic of land environments rather than aquatic or marine environments

Question 16

ocean acidification

Answer 16

reduction of the ocean’s pH over time (becoming more acidic) caused mainly by dissolving CO2 from the atmosphere

Question 17

assimilated

Answer 17

absorb and incorporate nutrients to form parts of the body of an organism

Question 18

carbon capture storage (CCS)

Answer 18

technologies that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it safely underground

Question 19

direct air capture (DAC)

Answer 19

extraction of carbon dioxide from the air

Question 20

reforestation (2.3)

Answer 20

re-establishing forest that has been cut down or lost due to natural causes

Question 21

afforestation (2.3)

Answer 21

planting large numbers of trees on land which has few or no trees